In a minute, I'm going to do a chronological view of the Emmys. First, however, let me jump to the good news; then I'll digress:

1) The good -- great, actually -- news: Jim Parsons has won the Emmy for best actor in a comedy series. Parsons is brilliant in "The Big Bang Theory," which has quickly become the best comedy on TV.

Staring at approximately 14,000 new Emmy nominations today, what do we make of it all? Here are a few trends, gripes and more:

1) New is big: Anything new tends to seem bright and shiny and appealing. This year, three first-year shows scored big. "The Good Wife" is up for best drama, with Julianna Margulies up for best actress in a drama. "Glee" and "Modern Family" are both up for best comedy, with many of their actors also nominated.

This probably shouldn't surpise us: TV's best sitcom also has one of the best sets. It's full of playthings; also, the math equations really do make sense.

We're talking about "The Big Bang Theory," of course. With the clever touch of any Chuck Lorre production, it simultaneously mocks its characters -- four young Cal Tech scientists and the waitress who lives in the next apartment -- and views them warmly.